High fashion in Florence

There are many places in the world that are a shopper's paradise: Paris, France; New York City; London; even Chicago, with its Millionaire's Row, provides an amazing shopping experience. But no city can match Florence, Italy's amazing fashion district.

There are many places in the world that are a shopper's paradise: Paris, France; New York City; London; even Chicago, with its Millionaire's Row, provides an amazing shopping experience. But no city can match Florence, Italy's amazing fashion district.

While Los Angeles has Rodeo Drive and New York has Fifth Avenue, Florence has three distinct and unique fashion streets: Via Tornabuoni, Via della Vigna Nuova and Via Strozzi. Each has specialties and its own tone.

Via Tornabuoni – The Miracle Mile of Florence’s high fashion

The bulk of the best shopping in Florence is on the Via Tornabuoni, often called the Miracle Mile. The Via Tornabuoni starts at the Arno River and runs north to the Piazza della Repubblica, an ancient Roman forum that has retained its nature as a public gathering place for two millenia.

All the luxury of Florentine ancient families
It was named for the Tornabuoni family, an ancient and powerful Florentine family, and fittingly for a fashion street its most powerful members were the women Lucrezia Tornabuoni (who married Piero de'Medici) and Giovanna degli Albizi, noted for her beauty and for her extravagant wedding at the age of 17 to Lorenzo Tornabuoni.

The Via Tornabuoni lives up to the historical reputations of these women, boasting haute couture and upscale jewel shops housed in ancient palazzos and mansions decorated with Renaissance-era frescoes.

Salvatore Ferragamo's museum and shop is in the Palazzo Spini Feroni at 2-14. Across the street is Versace, and along the street from here you'll find Tiffany, Yves Saint Laurent, Cartier, Dior, Prada, Bulgari, Gucci, Armani and many other upscale stores.

Florence is the home of one of Gucci's four world headquarters, so at this Gucci store you'll find absolutely everything you love, and probably a few things you've never seen anywhere else.

Via della Vigna Nuova

Perpendicular to Via Tornabuoni, you'll find the Via della Vigna Nuova, with Dolce e Gabbana, La Perla, Lacoste and Ermenegildo Zegna. Mont Blanc is nearby, as is Swarovski, Versus Versace, and dozens of smaller designers who may be tomorrow's Versaces.

Via degli Strozzi

On the other side of Via Tornabuoni, Via della Vigna Nuova suddenly becomes the Via degli Strozzi, where you'll find the Emporio Armani and many other upscale stores, as well as a number of hotels and vacation rental apartments from which you can base your shopping expeditions along the Tornabuoni.